


Glow

by rosesisupposes



Series: Prompts for My Imaginary Sons [Sanders Sides Prompt Fills] [4]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Brief Deceit mention, Fantasy, Gen, Magic, Magic Works Through Feelings, Magic-Users, Minor Deceit, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, i swear i can write nice things too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-28
Updated: 2019-01-28
Packaged: 2019-10-18 12:03:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17580476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosesisupposes/pseuds/rosesisupposes
Summary: Protective/Loyal Prompt: “Stay behind me" with Logicality (requested by anon)





	Glow

**Author's Note:**

> Brief mention of blood but nothing particularly graphic. I swear, I can write non-angst.  
> Deceit is mentioned (sympathetic Deceit) but doesn't appear.

The clatter of swords and maces against shields and armor was punctuated by the static of magical energy. The battlefield was a disheveled tapestry of movement as ranks of opposing forces devolved into a melee of tiny wars with a handful of combatants each. Trolls fought dwarves fought elves fought humans, backlit by fires both real and magical.

Through the press of violence, two humans struggled to pass through safely, desperate to reach enemy lines. Flashes of blue light created spot-shields and bubbles of protection around them as the taller of the two gestured with glowing hands.

“Logan, are you alright?” the mage asked, shouting to be heard over the clamor around them.

His shorter companion nodded despite the frown of frustration on his face. “Yes, Patton. How much further to the camp, can you tell?”

“Only about fifty yards, but there’s at least 3 trolls in the way.”

Logan readjusted the shield he carried awkwardly on one arm. “I hope Darcy’s okay.”

“I’m sure he will be. We just need to get there as fast as we can. They haven’t started the ritual yet, or I’d sense the emanations from here.”

Logan nodded and ducked, shield aloft, as another arrow came hurtling down towards him. The heavy shield was unfamiliar, but served its purpose. Patton saw more arrows following and raised a hand as his eyes flashed bright blue. A circle of glowing light appeared above them both as the arrows hit and slid off, harmlessly clattering to the ground.

A roar to his right caused Logan to turn, seeing a dwarf on the move towards them with a wicked-looking axe. He tried once more to conjure a shield of his own, only to watch the sparks at his fingers sputter and go out like an extinguished candle. Patton had heard the roar too, and whipped around, sending a lance of blue energy to hit the dwarf directly on the temple. They dropped heavily as Patton whirled back to find his next target and keeping them moving forwards.

Logan hefted his shield and cursed the day he’d been dragged into this war. He was woefully underprepared, but his best friend had been kidnapped and he wasn’t about to do nothing. Not for the last time did he wish he could have had a different upbringing. If only his parents hadn’t been so scared of magic. If only he hadn’t learned to suppress his emotions so well. Maybe then he would be more than dead weight now, able to use his natural powers instead of relying entirely on Patton for protection.

In the short month he’d known the mage, he’d learned so much about the magical world. The lanky, curly-headed man seemed endlessly cheerful, and also happened to be incredibly skilled at the art of channeling one’s emotions into actions, making him a highly-talented mage. Logan stumbled as he tried to keep up with him. He could finally see the banners of the enemy camp where they were keeping Darcy. Logan’s childhood friend had also been told to avoid all practice of magic, but hadn’t internalized the lessons in quite the same way. Instead of tamping down his emotions, Darcy had dissembled his way into becoming a prodigy of concealment and illusion magic, and now an enemy kingdom wanted to use his ability to alter reality itself. No one was about to stand back and let that happen, and thus, the war.

Logan caught a blow on his shield and managed to not immediately lose his footing as Patton held off 10 attackers at once. A coil of glowing blue rope tied the angry crowd up and pushed them to the side as Patton and Logan moved ever closer to their destination, hugging the cliffs that made up the edge of the battlefield. Logan watched Patton’s use of magic with an awe that turned to worry. The mage’s light was flickering just the slightest bit. The man was starting to tire. If his strength gave out, they’d both be in extreme danger.

Distracted, Logan didn’t see the elf bearing down on him with twin blades until another flash of light solidified into a magical sword that caught the blow. Patton twisted his hand, and the assailant was whisked away, pulled by their daggers.

“Thank you, Patton,” Logan gasped out, heart leaping still. “Are you alright?”

“Of course I am,” Patton said, but his breathing was heavy and the light of his magic glinted off the sheen of sweat on his forehead. He pushed on, keeping their backs to the cliff face and summoning shields as enemies swarmed past. Logan tried again to conjure anything. How had Patton described it on their journey? “Harnessing the spark,” or something like that. “Validate your feelings and they’ll work with you.” Logan attempted to validate his feelings, he really did. I’m scared, and that makes sense, we are literally in the middle of a war, by all rights I should be panicking.

A curlicue of light spurted out of his fingertip, but another falling projectile was coming his way. By the time he’d blocked it, his hands had nothing but bruises and scrapes. He looked over at his companion and saw his light hair starting become matted with sweat, curls turning dark and he blocked attacks over and over. His magic was flickering more noticeably now. Logan swallowed hard. They’d been traveling together for just over a month, brought together as they both searched for Darcy. In just that short time, Logan had gone from being wary and dismissive of the man who greeted flowers and animals along the road to holding him in esteem. He hadn’t realized until this moment how much he’d been relying on his ability to protect them both.

Logan and Patton had nearly reached the relative safety of the camp head when a bolt of energy came hurtling towards Patton. An elven mage flew towards them in its wake. Patton threw up another shield, but as the enemy magic collided, the shield wavered and vanished. A physical arrow arced towards them as Patton struggled to conjure any sort of protection. His magic was reduced to flickers alone, and the arrow sliced open his cheek.He fell to his knees, still trying to produce something to counteract the steadily approaching enemy mage. Logan stared at the cut. His stomach went cold, then hot, and his chest tightened. A tingling sensation ran from his fingertips to his shoulders. He looked down in shock as he saw dark blue fire dripping out of his hands and crawling up his arms.

“Look out, Lo!” Patton gasped from the ground. The elven mage was nearing them both, his own ruby fire pooling in his hands.

“Patton, stay behind me!” Logan cried, bracing himself over his friend. His eyes glowed sapphire as a wall of deep blue sapphire sprang into existence. Where Patton’s shields had been bubbles and glowing circles, Logan’s shield was angular and hard. It grew larger and larger, completing covering both Patton and Logan. The enemy mage scowled and threw a huge gout of fire at them. It glanced off Logan’s protection as a shard punched out and knocked his opponent out cold. Logan’s eyes continued to glow as he lifted his arms. The wall spread in sharp-edged planes until he and Patton were surrounded in a dodecahedron of blue light that slowly lifted itself into the air and pushed through the melee of fighters into the safety of the camp beyond the fighting. It came to land and Logan collapsed on the ground, eyes returning to their normal hazel as the walls around them faded.

“Logan, you did it!” Patton cheered. “You found your spark!”

“I did,” Logan said, still shocked. “I… I felt so much, it just came out.”

“What were you feeling, Lo? Do you know?”

Logan flushed. “I was scared for you, Patton. I had to protect you.”

Patton pulled him into a hug. “Thank you, Logan.” On an impulse, the taller man kissed Logan’s cheek, making the pink tinge there deepen to scarlet. “You kept us safe.”


End file.
